Clasp



Feb. l0, 1925 1,525,454

H. c. LLUFRlo CLASP Filed July 2e. 1924 f, f LN v///////////////////,l

ve/7755" Afef/2y (MQW/ Patented Feb. l0, 1925*.

UNITED STATES HENRYC. LLUFRIO, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CLASP.

Application filed July 26, 1924. Serial No. 728,305.

To all whom t may con-ccm.'

Be it known that I, HENRY C. LLUFRIO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionl relates to a clasp, clip, or fastener adapted for all uses to which such structures may be applied, such, for instance, as a paper c11p, a necktie clasp, or a part of a garment supporter, garter, or sleeve elastic.

The essential objects of my invention are to avoid the use of jaw teeth and springs; to insure a firm grip upon the article to be engaged; to prevent accidental unlocking; and to attain these objects in a simple and inexpensive structure operable with facility.

To the enumerated ends primarily, but

not exclusively, my invention consists inv such parts and in such combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair of my clasps attached to opposite ends of a flexible member constituting therewith a garment supporter,

Figure 2, a fragmentary section of the same on line 2 2 of Figure 1, showing one clasp in open position, and the other clasp in closed position, and

Figures 3 and 4, a side elevation, and a rear elevation respectively of the clasp.

. Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the form of my invention herein i1- lustrated the clasp comprises a frame out and bent up preferably from a sheet metal strip, and in detail consists of a back or bearing plate 7 connected by a loop or fold 8 to a front plate 9 parallel with the back plate, and shorter than the latter. The plate 7 is provided with a central rectangular opening 11 intermediate its length, and the plate 9 has a rectangular slot 12 extending inwardly from its free edge forming resultant arms 13 parallel with each other and with their end portions rolled over to form eyes or bearings 14 within the transverse plane of the opening 11.

A clamping or operating member is provided, and is cut into a blank strip from a thin metal sheet, and is bent up' to form an integral member. This consists of an angular cam shaped head 17 and a lever arm 18. The yhead is inclined' relatively to the arm. In detail the head comprises an elevated portion 19 with inclined faces and withlateral lugs. 2O which constitute trunnions or pivot members journaled in the bearings 14. The portion 19 terminates in an acute angular nose portion 22 formed by a return bend near the end of the strip, whose end 23 abuts against the inner end of the levell arm 18 and forms an inclined bearing surface constituting the bottom of the head. The length of the head and its inclination relatively to the arm 18 is such that when the end of the latter is adjacent to or in contact with the loop 20 of the frame the nose 22, which is nearly as broad as the opening 11, will project therethrough slightly spaced from the upper edge 25 thereof with which it cooperates to retain the material clamped thereby. The lower clasp, shown in Figure 2, discloses a material 27 so engaged. A downward pull upon this material would serve merely to more firmly press the free end of the arm 18 inwardly, thus more firmly locking the material against movement or slipping.

A convenient open position of the clasp is shown in the upper portion of Figure 2, wherein the arm 18 is elevated, and one inclined face of the elevation 19 is substantially parallel with the plate 7 affording facile ingress of the material 29 into the frame preparatory to the clamping operation.

The described clasp is capable of independent use for any desired purpose. When used as a constituent part of another article, such as a garment supporter, links or rings 31 may pass through the loop portions 8 of the clasps and engage respectively the fixed loop 32 and the extendible loop 33 of a strap or ribbon body 35 whose length is adjusted by a buckle 36 to which the latter loop is attached.

I claim,

1. In a clasp, a frame comprising a bearing plate provided with an opening, a front plate parallel with the bearing plate provided with a slot extending inwardly from its top edge opposite the opening forming spaced vertical arms, bearings on the arms,

and a loop connecting the plates, an operating lever, a'headfon the-operating lever disposed@ vat an `anglef'to the Y'lever movable .4 through the opening and the slot, and

lateral pivot memberson .thehead journaled in the bearings.

2. In a clasp, a frame comprising a bearing plate provided With a rectangular opening intermediate its length, a2 frontplate provided with a slot opposite the opening, integral spiacedsarme uponxthe: Jiront plate at.each.-side ovthe slot, bearings 'upon the' arms,.. andea -loop -unitingfthe plates, an operating. lever', 'a head lvupon ,the lever disposedvfat .anuangle thereto',v` comprising ai .broad-f.nose` movable ithrough-` the4 `slot` andifthe. opening: and adapted. *to*V coopenatefwith-oneend' othe slot, and lateral `pivot members on the head in the rear of the nose- 'journaled in-qthe'fbearings.v

lin a clasp, a-'frameeom-prising a bearing plate provided with a rectangular opening, a frontplate parallel therewith, and having an opposed opening lingers spaced from each other on the front plate, bearings on the arms adjacent the opening, and a loo-p. nintingfxthefplates, an operating lever, a head upon `the lever comprising a nose movable through lthe f opening, and A an eleva-1 tiony between the noseY and they-lever, and

lateralepivoti members Aon. the elevationV journaledl in therbearings.

'En testimony-Wliereoi-l have alim-ediv my signature-v l W HENRYG. LLUFRIG. 

